The Interactive
Classroom Of
The Future Is Here Today

Gone are the days of messy chalkboards and boring lessons. Technology has
brought teaching to a world where students take a more active part in their learning
experience. An advanced interactive classroom is not something brimming at the
horizon, but rather is here today for teachers to employ in their everyday lessons.
To build an interactive classroom, there are several essential tools needed.
Read below for more on these tools.

Interactive Whiteboard

The interactive whiteboard has
taken the classroom atmosphere from a place of passive learning to an interactive
classroom learning experience. Students no longer watch the computer screen.
They no longer watch a computer program being run. They now participate and are
integral parts of a teacher’s lesson.

The data
projector displays and translates what is on the computer
screen to the whiteboard

The computer

How would you use this?

Make notes

Highlight text

Draw shapes

Maneuver
around your computer using the pen and manipulate programs

Integrate
images, maps, periodic tables etc.

The student can then be given the pen and
asked to perform certain tasks

Using the original fossil example, you could have the fossil under the visual
presenter, which is connected to the computer and projected up on the whiteboard.
Then, using the pen, you could circle, highlight and make notations surrounding
the fossil.

Interactive Wireless Tablets

An increasingly popular accessory or alternative to the interactive classroom
whiteboard is the interactive
wireless tablet. These tablets generally connect
via wireless Bluetooth technology. These pads can act as an extension to the
board or act independently of them.

Student Response Systems

Student response systems have taken the world of quizzing,
reviewing and test taking to an entirely new level and have strengthened the
impact of the interactive
classroom. No longer will you have one or two students be the only students
who answer questions during a review session.

Conclusion

Today students are bombarded with digital stimulation from cell phones, video
games, and computers. It is imperative that teachers have a leg up on technology
in order to capture the students’ attention. An interactive
classroom built
around the abovementioned tools can help teachers do just that.